TWO DAY RING CARVING: A WORKSHOP

Lost wax casting is a 5,000 year old technique used for creating jewellery. It starts with sculpting or carving a wax object. This is then placed into a one-time-use mould, and the wax is melted out, leaving a perfect ‘negative’ form. The metal is then poured into the mould, leaving you with a metal (in this case, silver) version of the wax, exactly as you created it.

Throughout the duration of this experience, Emily will teach you all that you need to know to create a bespoke ring, just for you. Starting with a simple piece of wax tube, you will go through techniques for sizing, shaping and adding texture to your wax.

At the end of three hour session, the wax piece will then be left with Emily to organise the casting (the transformation into silver). Two to three weeks later, you can return to the workshop and learn how to finish the silver! Your ring will be nicely packaged and with a couple of little goodies to help you take care of it.

It’s a fascinating and ancient form of jewellery making; what better place to have a go than one of the UK’s oldest cities?

When is the workshop?

The workshops typically take place on Wednesday afternoons or evenings, and the first Sunday of each month. If these timings don’t work for you, please get in touch and we can discuss some more options. Please note that I’m unable to offer any Saturday options for the time being.

Who’s teaching me?

Emily has 6 years of wax work under her belt, a technique she threw herself into during her years at UCA, and has made an integral part of her practise too. Emily graduated in 2019 with a BA in Jewellery; she is also a member of the Association of Contemporary Jewellery, Design Nation and Society of Designer Craftsmen. Emily’s work has been featured in a number of exhibitions, from London to Monmouth, Munich to Beijing.

FAQs

Do I need any experience?

You don't need any prior jewellery or creative experience. Everyone is welcome but this workshop is designed for absolute beginners, and folks who have taken part in other jewellery/creative workshops.

I don’t live in the area but the experience appeals to me! What can you suggest?

I recommend you come and stay! Winchester is a wonderful place with a great many aspects to explore. There is an excellent array of things to do and see, along with places to stay and eat. It has creativity, history and a delightful community of small business that will welcome you in with open arms! If you’d like some good recommendations, do get in touch. Alternatively, you can visit The Winchester Blogger, Miss Winchester or Winchester Magazine for ideas!

How easily does the wax break?

Depends how thin you go! Not to worry though, it doesn’t happen often and if it does, I have some nifty methods to fix anything broken! The silver, however, is super solid.

Can I have a different metal to silver?

Absolutely! I wouldn’t advise a cheaper metal; these often have a high copper content and as a result, your fingers will go funny colours! The precious metals such as gold and platinum will incur a higher cost, but if we discuss in advance what your ideas are, we can work out what your budget is and the additional charge.

How long does it take?

Three hours in the initial workshop, then 2-3 weeks for it to return from casting. If you’d like to finish the ring yourself, you can return to the workshop in two-three weeks time and do so! The additional session takes roughly 2 1/2 hours. If you’ve booked the One Day session, please allow an additional 3-5 days upon returning for Emily to finish the ring.

What happens to the wax?

The wax is put in a plaster mould, and once the mould is set, the wax is melted out. The metal is poured in and the plaster will be destroyed after the metal has cooled, leaving you with a truly one of a kind ring, never to be replicated. (It is a bit more complex than that, but as quick summaries go, this isn’t bad!)

Could I get a voucher?

You can indeed! Click here to be taken straight to the listing.

How much does it cost?

Prices start at £150 for one person, and £250 for two. Emily is happy to host more; if you’d like to bring a larger group, get in touch through emily@the-metalsmith.co.uk or the contact form that you can find here. There are no additional costs, unless you’d like your ring in a different metal. If this is the case, please get in touch. If you’d like to only do the one day, prices start at £120pp, and £200 for two.

Where do I go?

This workshop will take place in a delightful little shared space a few streets over from the heart of Winchester, Hampshire. We have a newly finished, dedicated jewellery space with everything that one might need from a bench space, to bench peg, from a rolling mill to a polishing motor! (Some of these photos are from pre-jewellery space times. The pictures above are from our other teaching space, using units I built for tabletop jewellery workshops. Head to the ‘Booking’ page to see the new space!)

What will I need?

All of the materials will be supplied for you, as will all the tools; you’ll be working with wax in the first session, and all that you need to bring is yourselves and some clothes that aren’t too fancy. We won’t be getting too grubby in the first session, but the wax dust does get quite far so don’t wear anything that you don’t want to get a bit messy! The second session has the potential to be quite a bit messier; we’ll be tidying up the silver and adding a ‘finish’, either matte, polished, or somewhere in between - again, make sure that you don’t wear anything too nice!

Why might I do a Ring Carving Workshop?

For many reasons! You could make a gift for a loved one; you could gift the experience itself (whether you just gift the one spot or book an extra space for you too!). It’s an opportunity to make yourself something new and one-of-a-kind. A chance to learn a new skill. To bond with friends or family. A little creative respite from a busy career. Or even, a great new start to a life together, by making your wedding/partnership rings together!

What do I do if I don’t know what to make?

Please try not to worry about the “what”. There are a number of different journeys that you can take with this technique; I want you to make something that you’ll love, so we will tailor the process and design to suit you. This can take up a bit of time at the start of the session, so if it’s something that’s playing on your mind, please feel free to get in touch and we can discuss it in advance. If you’d prefer to develop ideas by yourself, there’s a couple of options I can recommend! Try scouring Pinterest and looking at contemporary art, architecture and ceramics. Consider the shape and weight of the ring that you’d like. Think about which finger you’d like to wear it on and if the ring will interfere with your everyday tasks or if you can go bigger! If you’d like more question prompts to help you think it through, do get in touch and I can provide some more!

Do I get to finish it?

If you’d like to finish the ring yourself, you certainly can! The Two Day Ring Carving covers this! In the second session, I will show you how to tidy up the casting and apply your preferred finish, using the required equipment! This is much more of a technical experience as opposed to the first session, with more creativity. It is fascinating to watch the piece go through these stages into its final form, but if you’re not keen, that’s okay! I can do it; if you’d like to me to finish it for you, make sure to book a One Day session instead.

Can I carve anything?

The only limit is your imagination; please be aware that you will only have three hours so try not to get too carried away! Although if you’d like more time, that can be arranged.